Exciting Digicel Grand Prix finale
IT WAS close going in the Digicel Grand Prix finale – the G.C. Foster Classic, with Calabar holding a slim lead in the boys’ section and Edwin Allen taking control in the female category at the National Stadium.
With eight boys’ finals scored, Calabar (42.5 points) held a slim lead over Kingston College (40) and St Jago (35), with Edwin Allen (52) a lot more comfortable in the girls’ title race, with Excelsior (39), St Jago (24) and St Elizabeth Technical (22) all in the mix.
The elite athletes also shared the spotlight yesterday with Mico University’s Dawnalee Loney and Akan’s Javon Francis registering big wins in the 400m.
Loney defeated a strong field in 52.36 seconds as Verone Chambers of Sprintec finished second in 52.40 seconds, ahead of teammate Ristananna Tracy (52.77).
Running on strongly in the straight away, Francis won the men’s event in 45.94 seconds, ahead of teammate Peter Matthews (46.58) with Mico’s Marco Doodnauthsingh third in 46.72 seconds.
Earlier in the day, StephenieAnn McPherson captured the women’s 100m in 11.65, beating her MVP partner Shericka Jackson into second in 11.76. Third went to Renea Medley of G.C. Foster College in 11.83 seconds.
St Jago’s Joanne Reid recorded the first record among Grand Prix events, walking away with $25,000, after winning the girls’ Under-17 one lap contest in 54.49 seconds. Janelle Josephs of St Andrew High was second in 54.78 seconds, with third going to Holmwood’s Danielle Deer in 55.03 seconds.
Edwin Allen’s Kevona Davis was also impressive, breaking the Under-17 girls’ 200m record with a 23.32 seconds win in the event.
It was another good showing for throwers from Petersfield High, led by the talented Kevin Nedrick, who had a double win on the day.
Nedrick captured the Grand Prix Under-19 Discus after a throw of 56.48 metres, getting the better of St Jago’s Roja Stona (54.28m), and Phillip Beckford of Excelsior finishing third with 52.79m. Earlier, he won the Under-18 Shot Put with 17.89m ahead of Kyle Mitchell (17.09m) of Calabar and Zico Campbell (16.98m) of Kingston College.
QUICK DOUBLE
Christopher Brown made it a quick double for Petersfield after taking the Boys’ Under-17 Grand Prix Discus with a mark of 50.90m to easily beat his rivals.
St Jago’s Lushane Wilson was outstanding in the Grand Prix High Jump for Under-19 Boys’ after a winning clearance of 2.18m.
Kingston College enjoyed a quinella in the boys’ Grand Prix Under-17 Long jump as Shaquille Lowe 7.08m got the better of Wayne Pinnock (7.03m), with David Tomlinson of Green Island capturing third place with 6.81m.
Kingston College took the double in the long jump as Carey McLeod, on his final effort, soared to 7.79m. Roshane Dawkins finished second, with third going to Alexander Thompson of St George’s College with 6.80m.
St Jago’s Tissana Hickling proved best among the Under19 girls in the long jump Grand Prix event with a solid jump of 6.39m. Edwin Allen’s Annia Ashley also went over the six metres mark, finishing second with 6.05m. Camperdown’s Monief Heslop grabbing third with 5.63m.